An Empty Nest

“Again you are crying, and what is this in your hand? Show me, Mr. Mohan was shouting at Mrs. Malti. Mrs. Malti was carrying and there was a photo of his son Vive, Mr. Mohan saw that, MRs. Malti is crying, and holding the photo of Vivek. “Don’t waste your tears, Malti, Why you are wasting your tears on him, for us, he is no more, save it, it will useful to you for crying when I will die.” Mr. Mohan said to Mrs. Malti, with anger, and they took a photo from her and threw on the floor. “What you are saying, please let me cry, you won’t understand the mother’s feelings.” Mrs. Malti, went to that photo, and again hold it in her own hand. “Only you have feelings, I am heartless, feelings less, wow! How you define to me and my feelings.” Again Mr. Mohan shouted at Mrs. Malti, but she wasn't listening to him, she was remembering to her son, Vivek, because it was his birthday, he promised that the would come at home on his birthday, but unfortunately, he didn’t come, Mrs. Malti, prepared all delicious dishes for him, and was waiting for him, but…………….

           “I will come in half an hour, I am going to temple, I want to be a relax myself.” Said, Mr. Mohan, and went outside of the home. Now, Mrs. Malti was an alone at home, she opened computer, and checked mail send by Vivek, he mentioned that he will be there on his birthday, and also told to his mother, to prepare dishes, which he likes most, he promised to her, since morning, both were, was waiting for him, they tried to call him, but the phone was switch off, they were worried that, why he didn’t reach to home, they were contacting to him continuously, but again and again the phone was off, on the evening, they got a call from Vivek, and he told that, he is not able to come right now, due to important work.

           “ManuMalti, was the name of their sweet home, Mr. Mohan and Mrs. Malti, both were living together, in this sweet home, both were bankers, their son, Vivek, who did his Post Graduation in Management, and for further education, he went to an America, he got job over there, and he settled down at America, after retirement they thought that they would live with Vivek, but Vivek neither saying anything about America, and nor taking to them to America, he didn’t want them at America, he married with American Girl, her name was Maria, even he married he didn’t tell anything to his parents, after some months of his marriage, he told about this to his parents, they were in shock when he told them about Maria, and their marriage, Mrs. Malti was thinking that, when he came back to India, we will find a girl, they were dreaming about their daughter-in-law, also dreaming about America, but it was just fiasco. Nothing happened about whatever they thought.

           Mr. Moan came back from temple, it was dark, still, the lights were off, they came near to Mrs. Malti, and he talked with her,” look Malti, I can understand your feelings because you are mother, you know your son better than me because you know him 9 months more than me, you carried him 9 months, so I don’t want to say about your caring feelings towards him, but if he didn’t want to came here, then how we can force him.” Mrs. Malti said to Mr. Mohan, “Yes I know that he didn’t want to come here, but that mail, it wasn't wrong, it wasn't story made by him, it was true, and in last week he talked with us, about his plan, for his India tour, and today, on evening he called that, he wouldn’t be able to come, why he did like this? Are we his enemy? Has he forgotten everything that we did for him? We are not expecting anything from him, but at least once in the year he should come over here, talked with his parents, these minimum expectations he can’t complete.” Ms. Malti asked to Mr. Mohan. On this statement Mr. Mohan has mummed himself, he didn’t understand what answer should he give to Mrs. Malti, they went in the kitchen, they prepared two cups of coffee, one gave to Mrs. Malti, and he sat on his favorite chair. “You didn’t answer to my question, am I wrong, or my questions are not proper, or my feelings…………” again Mr. Mohan mummed and he was just having a coffee.

           Mr. Mohan and Mrs. Malti, both were always going for morning walk, on that day, Mr. Mohan woke up early, he was trying to get up to Mrs. Malti, but she wasn’t replied, he made a cup of tea, he thought that she cried whole night, so let her sleep, after coming from walk, we will have a tea tighter, and then he will talk with her. He came from his walk, still, Mrs. Malti, was in bed, again the made two cup of tea, and sat to near Mrs. Malti, one cup kept on teapoy, and another he took and start to taiked wth her. “Look Malti, I am sorry, I haven’t any answers of your question, though these are correct, no doubt, but still I didn’t find any answers for them, just forgot it, and get up, you never sleep at this time, it is 8.00 A.M., come on, get up, he tried many times, but Mrs. Malti wasn’t get up, they called her, they shook her face, her head, but there wasn’t any reply from her, now Mr. Mohan scared, he called her loudly, he checked her breath, but………………………………

           “I am sorry, Mr. Mohan Kulkarni, Mrs. Malti is no more…….” Doctor came and checked to her, due to massive heart attack, Mrs. Malti died at night, doctor gave his own statement, after doctor went, he sat near to Mrs. Malti, he freeze, not a single word was coming from his mouth, even he was not crying, when their maid came, and she saw, she called to neighbors, everyone was crying, from their neighbors someone called to Vivek, Mr. Mohan and Mrs. Malti wasn’t having more relatives, when their relatives came, MR. Mohan cried so much………….. Vivek’s phone was still off

           It was afternoon, everyone was at ManuMalti Niwas, except Vivek, in the evening, Mr. Mohan called to Vivek, and told that his mother is no more………. “Oh! So bad, dad, do one thing, you can do whole necessary things, I couldn’t come to the funeral, I am sorry…………..” Vivek said, “Your mother’s dead body is here, and what you are saying, how selfish you are! How feelings less you are! Don’t show your face again to me, don’t come at my home…………..” Mr. Mohan kept the phone with angry and started crying.

           After all formalities completed, there was Mrs. Malti’s funeral ceremony, all people went, but still Mr. Mohan was thereafter some time he came to home, the relatives went to their home, now he was alone at home, with Mrs. Malti’s remembrance, Mr. Mohan had shower, and lighted lamp near her photo, and started, to crying, he remembered his own word that keeps her tears, it would useful for crying on his death, but now, before Mr. Mohan, Mrs. Malti, was left to him………….. it was dark night, and in that dark night, Mr. Mohan was an alone, with his tears which weren't stopping, it was continuously coming from his eyes, though it was dark, he couldn’t see his tears, but he was feeling to it.

           Mr. Mohan did, all religious functions after Mrs. Malti’s death, but Vivek didn’t come. He decided that he would leave for him, and for beautiful moments which he lived with Mrs. Malti, with that remembrance which he shared with Mrs. Malti, and some photos of Mrs. Malti, he burned everything which belonged to Vivek, not a single thing he left which was related with Vivek, even his thoughts also, and for that, Mr. Mohan decided to spend his remaining life, for the orphanage, he was retired from bank, he was having a pension, so he decided to spend that pension for the orphanage children, he started for working over there.

           At one day, Vivek came to ManuMalti Niwas, but it was locked, he asked to neighbors, and he got an address of the orphanage where Mr. Mohan was working when Vivek reached to that the orphanage home, he found to his father, he was waiting outside after some time Mr. Mohan came to him, he woke up from his place. Mr. Mohan said very politely, “Why you came here now, please go back.” Vivek started crying and requesting to his father for forgiveness to him and also was requesting to be with him to America, but Mr. Mohan refused for every statement of Vivek. “ It was her dream to be with you, at your so-called America, she was so dreaming, about you, many things she planned, but you broke her wishes, she was waiting for you on that day, you promised her, but you didn’t……..

We accept it, that you have much work, you are a lot of busy, but when I called you when your mother died, had you know your answer……..” Mr. Mohan was saying to Vivek, Vivek mummed, he was just listening, and he wasn’t able to answer to his father. “Please go from here, Vivek, I don’t want to come with you, I am very happy over here, the time is spent with these orphaned children, though I don’t have any blood relations with them, they are more than my blood relations, only your mother was my and was with me always, she stood every time with me, at every situation, now I am leaving with her memories, not another need to me for living my remaining life.” Mr. Mohan said again very politely to Vivek, he was requesting to him again and again, but he was refusing same time, Vivek realized what mistake he did, and to went back, this is only one thing remained in his hand, and he went back with nothing in his hand………………..

           On that day, it was birthday, of Mrs. Malti, Mr. Mohan celebrated Mrs. Malti’s birthday, with the orphanage children, Vivek brought some things to his father, but Mr. Mohan didn’t touch those things, some chocolates were there, he gave to that children, and some clothes, he gave that to staff of that the orphanage, Mr. Mohan brought cake, and he ordered a delicious lunch to whole the orphanage, everyone was enjoying and celebrating Mrs. Malti’s birthday.

           At evening Mr. Mohan came to his home, he on the lights, and lighted a lamp at near photo of Mrs. Malti, he put a piece a cake infornt of Mrs. Malti’s photo, and gave birthday wish to her, then he came in kitchen, he took food from fridge, which prepared by his maid, he kept in microwave, and then he took in plate, and starting to eat, he was remembering so much to Mrs. Malti, even he was not able to eat his dinner, he kept it as it is, and went on bed, in bed room, there was a big photo of Mrs. Malti, Mr. Mohan slept under that photo, and started to crying, he was just crying and crying, the whole day he celebrated enjoyment, but this night was troubling to him, only this night was not, but every night was troubling to him, the whole day were passed with that children but at night, it wasn’t so easy, to sleep, and due to this reason, he was crying, he was talking with the photo of Mrs. Malti, and was sharing the moment which both spend together with that photo, and memorizing to Mrs. Malti, but in this invisible discussion Vivek wasn’t part of it, Mr. Mohan removed him from his life.

           “ManuMalti Niwas, now, without people, the whole day Mr. Mohan was in Orphanage, only at night he was there, once he found the nest which falls on the floor, nothing was there in nest, it was empty, Mr. Mohan thought, this nest is like “ManuMalti Niwas”.

           He named to his home “ManuMalti Niwas- an Empty Nest